They Say Burnywood Is Hell
by strawberrymagic01
Summary: Yes, it's not the friendliest or safest carehome, and sure, your stuff gets nicked within the first week and there are fights almost everyday. Well while they call it hell, I call it home. Connected with my other story, "A Girl Called Leanna"
1. They Say Burnywood is Hell

**A/N: So hey guys, its me. I write the story "A Girl Called Leanna". Well I was thinking and there aren't many stories about Burnywood, so I wanted to write one. **

**Also I wanted to write a Rick/OC as most of them are about Liam, haha! **

**This story is kinda connected to my other story, and takes place after Sapphire, Carmen & Harry have left Burnywood (S2EP1/2) but Leanna is still there. Might be helpful if you go see the other characters I created for Burnywood but I will re-describe them.**

**So, uh I hope you like it. You know what to do! :D**

They Say Burnywood Is Hell

**Write down 5 things that come to mind when you think of yourself:**

Dancer, some people say I'm outspoken... carehomes, mum, scar.

_Ever since I was 3 I went to various dance classes. I started with ballet, you know, the little toddlers classes where they just skip around and stuff. Now I've moved onto jazz and street dance, and I still do ballet. To be honest it's probably the only thing I'd say I'm good at. Vivian hated my classes, but my social worker said it was good for me, but she didn't listen. She prevented me from doing any type of dance for a whole year and a half, but I suppose I should have stuck up for myself. When I was little I was quite shy and I never spoke my mind, people could walk all over me easily. Especially Vivian. That changed quickly though, and I'd be lying if I said I'd never got into trouble or any fights because of what I say. _

_I've been in carehomes ever since I was seven. I was moved around a bit, from Elm Tree to John Clements Home and then to Burnywood, where I've been for two years. Well, on and off. I've been fostered twice, but it never works out. Doesn't matter though, I'll be out of her when I'm sixteen, I have no choice. I don't really remember my real Mum. Dad left her when I was born and she died when I was four, drunk driving I was told when I got old enough to understand. Her family always shunned her, they thought she was a disgrace. Especially when I was born, and they don't really like me either. Vivian told me that mum was a terrible mum, and thats why I was so naughty. She said Mum didn't teach me good manners and that I would turn out a disgrace like her if I didn't change. I've always been told that I look like my mum, especially the shade of my sea blue eyes and my long chocolate brown hair which is always wavy, and either tied up in a high pony tail or fish tail plaited. I suppose I'm average hight for a 13 year old. Apparently I have nice legs too, and thats a good thing I guess. I'm nothing special, just plain Kia._

_To be honest I don't actually know how I got my scar. It runs from the bottom of my wrist in a virticle line up to my elbow, and apparently I've had it since i was five. All I remember is waking up one day in a hospital bed with Vivian sitting next to me, my arm bandaged up. I guess I'll never find out, the page about it from my file is missing, believe me I've tried to find it many times. Everyone knows about it, theres no hiding it. Isabelle reckons I tried to commit suicide, but I weren't ever depressed. I don't know... guess I never will._

**Write down 5 things that come to mind when you think of your childhood:**

dreaming, controlled, Hillside Primary, My puppy, VIVIAN.

_I always used to change my mind about what I wanted to be when I was younger. I wanted to be a ballerina, a chef, a vet, an artist, but most of all I wanted to be a dancer. I didn't really care what I did as long as it had something to do with dancing, I could be a dance teacher, performer, or a choregorapher. Vivian said I couldn't, though. She said that if I wanted to earn a living and make everyone proud I'd have to chose a 'proper job'. Her idea of a 'proper job' was earning tons of money and gaining lots of respect, and being smart for the job too. Like a doctor, or a architect, she wouldn't settle for a nurse or a builder. Who was she to decide what jobs were proper or not? But anyway I was too small to understand that I had an opinion, and kept my mouth shut. Thank God that never happens anymore._

_I especially remember my days at Hillside Primary. I moved there when I was seven, when I was starting Year three. I was scared out of my wits, I didn't know how to make new friends. Vivian had told me to go up to the richest looking people and say; "Hi, I'm Kia, do you want to be friends? I'd love to be.". The only problem with that plan was that Hillside Primary wasn't exactly posh, and there were probably only about three kids there who actually came from a wealthy family. So, on my first day I followed through with Vivian's plan. I was sat on a table with four other children, and as soon as I sat down I plucked up my courage and said what I was told to. The reply? The two girls who sat there laughed together and then turned to me, giving a scornful grin._

_"We don't like freaks." They had said, and carried on whispering. I had no idea that children could be so mean, I had only heard some of the big kids talking like this. So with a sunken heart I turned to the two boys, and tried again, this time adding that I needed help with the questions on the worksheet. One of the boys just stared at me, and then carried on with his work, and the other just raised his eyebrows. _

_"It's simple, my Dad showed me. Its about money, you just times the £3 by two. it makes £6. See?" He had said, and though he wasn't the friendliest of kids, he soon became my best friend._

**Write down 5 things that come to mind when you think of your best friend at Burnywood:**

Sarcastic, checkered shirts, money, secretive, guitar

* * *

><p><p>

"Alright kids, once you've finished filling out all of the questions, pass them to me and I'll read them out, and you've got to guess who the answers belong to!" That cheerful voice belonged to Ezza, a councellor. All of us Burnywood kids were sat in the living room, filling out these stupid questionaires because Lucy was determined to get us to get along, and for everyone to be friends. So far, it wasn't working.

I had got back to Burnywood the day before, after I slapped their other daughter and called her a bitch. I know it was rude, she was a year younger than me at 12, but she had it coming, calling me a dumb, scruffy slut. She didn't even know what that word meant. Her parents thought she was an angel just because she had perfect table manners and said please and thankyou. She had begged them for an older sister to look after her, so I came a long. Okay, so maybe I did pretend I was all posh and polite like them, but hey, I wanted to be fostered.

"Aah, Kia I see you've finished yours? C'mon, hand it over sweetie." She simpered, snatching the paper from me before I had a chance to react. The other kids in the room fell silent as she began to read out my answers. Well, I couldn't protest. I knew what I wrote would end up being public and I'd been carefull, so I was okay... well thats what I thought. Ezza read out all my answers, and as soon as she finished Flora rolled her eyes and sighed dramaticly.

"This is so stupid. It's ovbious who it is, its Kia. And her best friend is obviously Rick." She said, flicking her hair behind her shoulder. Ezza nodded and was about to move onto the next sheet when Rick cut in.

"Me and Kia aren't best mates." He said simply, then got up from the sofa and left the room, letting go of his paper. It floated over to my lap and I picked it up, my eyes scanning through it.

**Write down 5 things that come to mind when you think of your best friend at Burnywood:**

Don't have one. 

"...Rick we haven't finished the session, just another half an hour-" Ezza pleaded, but Rick ignored her and continued up the stairs. I dropped the paper and jumped up, and ran after him. Ouch, he "didn't have one"? It was only a month ago that we promised to stay best friends, no matter what. Sounds childish, I know. But we stuck together through thick and thin, and thats how we always wanted it to be.

I stumbled up the stairs after him, tripping on them a couple of times in the hurry. You see, we had always been best friends, thats how it was. He looked out for me, I looked out for him and we stuck together. Sure, we'd had a couple of arguments in the past, but he never acted like this, he was so serious. What had I done? Ever since I had got back he'd been ignoring me, I didn't get a hug or even a 'Hi' when I arrived. I burst into his room to find him sitting back on his desk chair, headphones on. "Rick, whats going on?" I asked him nervously, closing the door behind me. He just looked at me, and rolled his eyes. Then he pulled his headphones off and swung his feet up onto the desk.

"Nothing."

Oh, so that was how it was going to be. "Look whatever I've done I'm sorry, just tell-" I began.

"Save it." Rick cut me off, and focused on wrapping the wire around the headphones. "Look, Kia. We were mates. Not anymore, okay? So just leave."

I was so surprised that for once I didn't say anything back, and just slowly left the room, my heart thumping in my chest. My best friend seemed to hate me. What the fuck had I done?

**A/N: So, what did you think? Well if you've got any ideas for the storyline or if theres anything you'd like to see, drop a review with any ideas, especially about why Rick's angry at Kia. I thought about a storyline when I woke up, but then five minutes later I'd forgotten it. So annoying, aah! D: **

**I also want two characters for my story, they will live in Burnywood.**

**Name: **

**Background:**

**Looks:(include dress sense)**

**Personality:**

**Relationships with carekids:(eg, with Kia, Rick, Kitty, Tyler & Lizanne, & if you want go to my other story and have a look at the characters from there, they will be included.)**

**age:**

**So PM or review me your characters by my next chapter, which might be in a week or so. I'm only choosing 2 and I don't want all 15 year old girls! :D **


	2. Welcome Back, Leo

**A/N: Sorry, really short chapter! Introducing Leo and Imogen, the two characters submitted. Hopefully I write them well :)**

**Welcome back, Leo**

"GET OFF OF ME!"

Ah, that would be Leo. I followed the thunder of footsteps down the stairs to the front door, where yet another police officer was forcing Leo into the care home. It was the 6th time he had ran away and they had caught him again, and he was not happy. But he gave up struggling and let the police officer guide him into the home, a scowl plastered over his face. His grey polo-shirt was muddy and a little bit torn, and he looked tired and dirty. But he would probably stay like that if it meant he didn't have to stay in Burnywood. To be honest, I was surprised that they didn't move him. "Welcome back, Leo." I smiled sympathetically at him, and he returned the smile sadly, kicking off his scuffed trainers.

"Welcome back? We're better off without him." Dennis grumbled to himself, pushing the boy into the office where he would most likely be shouted at. The same guarded, angry look reappeared on Leo's face and he shook off Dennis' hand and stormed into the office himself. Then one particular voice stood out from the sea of shouting, Tyler.

"Leo's back? Where is he?" The little boy shouted, jumping down the stairs two at a time and pushing past everyone to get to the office.

"Not now, Tyler." Dennis told him, pushing the boy away and shutting the door firmly. Tyler looked disappointed, and sighed angrily. He was used to Leo running away. They were close, and you could see the resemblence, they were definitely brothers. I'd never tried running away. Honestly, I see no point in it. You get caught soon enough, and you end up back at square one. So I just stay at Burnywood.

Rick didn't come down. He probably was watching from somewhere far away from me, so he didn't have to face my questions. I just wanted to know, I was sure I didn't do anything. I think. Feeling slightly annoyed but curious, I made my way to Kitty's room. It was on the third floor, at the back. She didn't like to be near any noise at all and anyone who touched her...well, they were lucky if they had something to break their fall. She only got back to Burnywood a day before me, along with Imogen. Kitty had been to a special home to try and help her condition, and now she was back, and I doubted that she had changed. Imogen had been at her foster parents for a while, but it didn't work out. I'd known Imogen and Rick for the longest, as Imogen had been in the care home since she was born. She was used to the way things ran around here.

I opened Kitty's door quietly, and peered round. She was sat at her window sil, but jumped up when I opened the door. "It's okay Kitty...It's just me." I soothed, and she relaxed a little but still was on edge. Her room was quite plain, but she had stuck her crafts on the walls so there was a bit of colour. The door had a big dent in it, as last year some of the older kids thought it would be funny to scare her and kicked the door in, but strangely enough it was Dennis who came to the rescue and not Rick. "Ummm hey... I was just wondering, did Rick say anything to you about me doing anything to make him angry?" I asked nervously, not really expecting an answer.

She shook her head quickly, and then turned and fiddled with the curtains while looking outside. "Well...actually he did say something." She said quietly, after a moments silence.

* * *

><p>"Haha, check them out!" Leo called, as I walked into the room. He gestured over to Lizanne, Flora and Imogen, who were yelling angrily at each other. I raised my eyebrows and grinned, it was always amusing to watch a fight, even if it was just yelling. Leanna was sitting on the table swinging her legs, watching intently.<p>

"You bitch! That money is mine!"

"Don't you call me that! It's mine, back off! It's mine for my straightners!"

"Give it to me! I need new make up!"

I sat down on the sofa next to Leo and watched, deciding not to get involved. Lizanne... well she wasn't really very well liked in the care home. She was known for her habit of tricking people out of money, and had broken a lot of hearts because of it. Lizanne and Imogen absolutely hated each other, but Flora got on with both. Leanna on the other hand was good friends with Lizanne, got on well with Imogen but totally hated Flora and her other two sisters. Suddenly Leanna jumped up as if she was remembering something, and sprinted out of the room.

I didn't really know Leanna that well. Apparently she lied a lot, but she seemed really cool. But there's not much point getting close to everyone as you lose them all in time. Leanna wasn't permenant I could tell, she didn't like it here and she was quite tricky, I had heard about how she snuck out from the attic by climbing down the side of the wall, and managed to get back up without getting caught.

I started talking to Leo about what happened when he slept on the streets, when Rick walked in. Upon seeing me he swung back around and left quickly. This was my chance, and I jumped up and ran after him.

"Rick, I'm so sorry." I rushed, stumbling when he stopped suddenly. "I... I didn't mean to ignore you or anything like that-"

"It's not just that." He said, his dark eyes were cold when he looked at me.

I looked away and continued before he could butt in again. "My foster parents... they didn't want me talking to any of the kids from here because they thought it would be better if I had a fresh start." I finished, sighing.

"Right. Well, I guess they were right, it's better if you aren't friends with a scamming liar like me. It's great to know what you really think of me." He said, and turned and left, leaving me gob smacked, for the second time.

**A/N: Review please :)**


	3. The Residents of Burnywood

**The Residents of Burnywood**

I woke up the next morning, and straight away got up to get changed. I pulled out my dark green skinny jeans and a black jumper from my wardrobe and got changed quickly, my mind still clouded with confusion. I got out my maths book from my lepoard print bag and laid it on my desk, deciding to do some homework.

I said he was a scamming liar? I spent the rest of that afternoon and the next morning thinking about that, it took over my mind and I found I couldn't concerntrate on any homework I was trying to do. "What are you doing?" A voice asked, and I looked up from clenching a fist in fustration as I tried to do the maths questions. Leanna stood at the door, one eye brow raised. I hadn't properly talked to her since I got back, as she must have came to the care home when I was away. She was pretty, with curly black hair that was chest length and green eyes. She dressed quite scruffy though, with just trainers, a tshirt over a hoodie and jeans, on a regular day.

I sighed and sat back in my chair, and started spinning it. "I'm attempting to do my maths homework. What do you want?" I replied, wondering what she was doing here.

"Homework? Sod it. I had this phase where I wanted to do well in school so I could get out of here, now I realise how stupid that was. Anyway, I came to ask how to get into the safe." She said, coming right in without invitation and sitting down on the bed.

I raised my eyebrows at her, she was mad. "You can't get in the office let alone get in the safe. Why?" I told her.

"Are you sure about that? Last week the others got into the office to get the key to the attic to get me back up there, if thats possible then I think I'll be fine getting in the safe." She gloated, smirking. I shook my head in disbelief. She was definitely mad. Dennis had only just taken the locks off our bedrooms a couple of months ago, and before that it was impossible to get out of your bedroom. And now this girl managed to get out of the attic and then back in? What was this world coming to.

"You're mad. If you get caught-" We both stopped and froze when Dennis' head popped round the door. He gave us a sort of "Im watching you" smirk and then slammed the door shut as he left. "D'you think he heard any of that?" I whispered, relaxing. She shrugged and stood up.

"Dunno, don't care. I'm gonna get in there later today. You'll help, right?" She said, opening the door. I shrugged back at her, and she sighed and left. Absolutely mad.

Well, she didn't end up going through with her plan in the end. Alfie says she tried to kill herself and he found her just in time, but I'm not so sure. The thing is though, you don't question Alfie. If he says Leanna tried to kill herself, then she tried to kill herself. Dennis came back later that night and told us all in the living room that she wasn't coming back, and had been moved to some care home called Elm Tree House.

We were all in the living room at that time, and Charlotte got up and grinned wildly, before leaving in a much happier mood. Charlotte. She was 14 going on 15, and there was one word to describe her; B.I.T.C.H. She thought she was tough and was always beating people up, mostly the unlucky new kids. I had been a victim of her before, when she thought I was the one who ripped her new sparkly top. It wasn't actually me, it was Tyler. But he got away with it, as usual.

Tyler was the most mischevious kid you could ever meet. He was always planning pranks from leaving plastic poo around to replacing the salt with sugar. He also sometimes nicked stuff, and usually got away with it because he was clever about it, and whoever got their stuff nicked never knew what to do. They usually went to Dennis or Lucy, which is a big no no. Snitching on people in this care home? People lose all respect for you and everyone hates you. So you fend for yourself, with no help from the careworkers, only your allies.

Speaking of allies, I had Leo and Rick mostly, and Imogen was quite a loyal friend. I didn't get on with Lizanne much, she tried to trick me out of my savings last year. Thankfully Rick has her all sussed out, and warned me before I gave her anything. Most guys like Lizanne. She's gorgeous, everything a girl wants to be. Skinny, blonde, perfect skin, and she knew it. Most guys here have had a crush on her atleast once, some of the unfortunate ones got tricked by her as well. I know Rick liked her once, two years back when we were super close, he told me.

Leo is Tyler's older brother, and he's a right laugh. Yeah, he runs away a lot but in this place? He has a reason, plus Dennis hates him. If Dennis hates you then your life here becomes hell. I don't think he even knows my name, but I guess it's better than him hating my guts. He looks like Tyler, but he's got a more serious face, but you can see exactly why they're brothers from their personalities.

There's a little kid here called Joseph, too. He sticks with Charlotte and I have no idea why. He's adorable, with fluffy brown hair and big eyes, but he's a big tell tale and if you upset him even once, Charlotte will try to kill you. It happens all the time, it's a regular thing now. Somehow Charlotte gets out of trouble quite a lot, it's always the person she attacks who gets locked in the attic or sanctioned. Nothing you can do about that though.

Of course that's not all the people who live in Burnywood. There are more, way more. We get new people coming through the doors everyday. Sometimes I really wonder how I survive this place...

**A/N: Just needed a chapter to introduce some of the other characters. So read and review please I like to know what you think. **

**Also to the anon Haj- I might add another character, but you need to fill out the form please.**


	4. A Little Bit of Harry Potter

A Little Bit of Harry Potter

I stare hard at the periodic table in my hand, trying to memorise the names of the groups. "Noble gases... Alkali metals... Halogens..." I mumble, swinging absent mindedly on my chair. Then I flip open my science folder, turn to a fresh page, and begin writing. "Group 1 on the periodic table is named the alkali metals because they-"

"KIA! KIA! KIA!" My pen skids across the page and I manage to catch myself on the desk before I plummet to the floor. My bedroom door swings open and Imogen races in, three books under her arm. She dropps them all on my desk and then flops down on the bed, spreading her arms out and grinning madly.

Imogen is the same age as me, 13. She has lovely silvery-blue eyes and pink cheeks, and her coppery hair is usually tied up in a bun. "I just finished the last three books of Harry Potter. All in three days! It was amazing, I would read them all again!" She breaths, sitting up. I look at her in shock, my heart still racing from surprise.

"Oh, that's brilliant Imogen! It took me much longer to read them." I finally say, picking up the last one and flipping through the pages. Imogen loves to read, and always has a book nearby. I had recently reccomended the Harry Potter series to her, after having to read the first one for an English assignment a few months ago. I became obsessed with them and spent the next few months reading every single book, and then passing them onto Imogen. She had obviously enjoyed them, and was now pretending to do spells with one of my pencils.

She came over to my desk and peers down at my homework, scrunching her nose up. "Ew, science." She mutters, and then her eyes catch sight of the clock on my desk. "1 O'clock already? Oh Gosh I have to go, I have to get down to the stables!" She gasps, and then sprints from the room, slamming my door behind her.

Imogen works at the local stables. It is her dream to be able to ride horses, but the council won't pay for lessons, and as she has no family she has no money to inherit. So for the time being, she works three times a week there (sometimes she does extra, she loves horses so much) and saves up the money so one day she can have lessons.

It's like that for most of us here. We get weekly allowances, £3 normally and occasionally if we do a job without being asked to we get an extra £1. It's not much but if there's something you really want then you learn to save it, and to suck up to the nicer care workers to get extra. For example, Tyler is having serious problems right now. It's his brother Leo's birthday in a week, and Tyler is desperately trying to get enough money to be able to afford a new football for him as a present. Originally he had ideas of getting him new football boots but when he saw the price, his dreams were immediately crushed. So now he is trying to do extra jobs, but is still getting in trouble which means he gets sanctioned. And as Dennis knows it's Leo's birthday soon, Tyler's punishment is usually having his pocket money reduced.

It's alright for me I guess. I don't have any prized possessions, just the normal stuff, books, clothes, stationary, jewelry, makeup... but one thing I guess I could count as a prized possession is my Ed Sheeran CD. I saved up for months for that. I don't even let anyone borrow it, that's how much I love it. And plus, if I did it would probably get nicked... just saying.

Giving up on my homework, I run downstairs and decide to take a walk in the garden, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in my hand. The garden is really crappy. Nobody wants to do the job of mowing the lawn, so the grass is quite tall now. The garden is pretty much a rectangle, and I walk down the path of trodden grass, smiling slightly. I did like the garden to be honest. It's run down, but there's always birds everywhere and once or twice I swear I saw a rabbit. At the end of the garden is what's supposed to be a Wendy House. It's paint has chipped so much that there's now only yellow streaks, the windows have smashed and nobody know's whats inside. Nobody wants to know.

Opposite the Wendy House is a tall, wispy tree, and underneath a rusty bench swing. I sit down, and flip the book open on the first page.

I'm so absorbed in my book that I don't hear the crunching of dead leaves and grass as someone comes towards me. It's when they sit down next to me on the bench and it swings a little that I look up, and come face to face with Rick. It's obvious he's only just got up, his hair is ruffled and he smells fresh of aftershave.

"Hey." He says quietly, and I say 'hey' too, feeling the awkwardness. We hadn't talked in a week now, since Leanna had left.

Neither of us know what to say, so we sit in silence for a while, swinging on the chair. Then he finally talks. "Kitty talked to me yesterday." He says, turning to look at me. I nod for him to continue. "So you're not lying? You didn't send me those texts?"

"NO!" I gasp loudly. "I would never, Rick! And you know I don't lie. It wasn't me, I promise. It was that little bitch that my foster parents wanted me to become sisters with. She wanted to cut everyone i cared about from my life. Ugh, I hate her." I grumble, cursing. Rick smirks at me, and then takes out his phone. He opens his inbox, scrolls down to messages with my name ontop, and opens each one. 'lol don't talk to me no more k?' _delete_. 'you're such a scamming liar' _delete._ 'So glad I left that dump to get away from you' _delete._

He smiles properly, and hugs me from the side. "I should've known Kia, you'd never say stuff like that to me. I'm sorry..." He says softly into my hair.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told her about you. I know better now, eh?" I reply, sitting up straight, the book falling out of my lap and landing on the floor with a bump. "Oh!" I exclaim, and bend down to pick it up. Rick takes it from me, and flips through the pages.

"Harry Potter? I thought you've already read this one?" I laugh quietly, he was right. I had already read the whole series but them being so good I just couldn't help myself, and had re-read them all. I remember sitting in Rick's room, curled up on his desk chair reading the book while he strummed away on his guitar, playing the chords of 'Miss You' by Ed Sheeran for me.

"I have. But they're so good, it's not my fault!" I protest, taking it from him and trying to find the page I was at.

He chuckles. "So, have you heard from Vivian?" He asks, his trainers scuffing against the grass. I shake my head, Vivian hadn't contacted me in almost a year. "Well you're better off here than with her." He then tells me, looking up at the gloomy building that was Burnywood.

"Haha, maybe Burnywood is a messed up version of Hogwarts. " I joke, staring at the dark windows, noticing that there was no colour at all. "Perhaps Vivian is aunt Petunia, and she's jealous of my mum's abilities! Then that would make me Harry Potter... now I just have to wait for Hagrid to come and tell me I'm a wizard..." I smile, the Harry Potter book still is still clamped firmly in my hand. Rick stares at me, an amused expression on his face.

"Well then I'm Ron and... Tyler and Leo are the Weasly twins." He continues, smiling a little.

"No no... you're more of a Hermione." I risk teasing him, and relax fully when he laughs at this. Perhaps things were going back to normal. "And Charlotte could be Bellatrix... and the triplets are... whats her name? That evil lady who always wears pink?"

"Dolores Umbridge! Yeah, they are... who could be Dumbledore?" Rick asks, and we both go silent, thinking through all of the Burnywood residents to find someone who was as legendary enough to be Dumbledore. "No.. there's nobody." He decides, all the present and past residents of Burnywood had something about them that was the reason for them being there, whether it was anger issues, violent personalities, ect. None of them were good enough to be Dumbledore.

"Okay... who could be Snape?" i murmur, and just at that moment the Dennis stomps into the garden, glares at us and then rummages through the smashed window of the Wendy House and emerges with a hammer.

"I'm fitting the locks back on the doors." He grumbles, swinging the hammer in his hand. I feel Rick stiffen beside me, and I realise why. Kitty is coming back from her weekly councellor sessions soon. She would hate it if her door had a lock, as Rick usually went to Kitty to support her and comfort her, but Dennis could restrict him from doing that now.

Dennis left as quickly as he came, and luckily Rick relaxes. "I think we just found our Snape..." He tells me quietly.

"No way! Snape is the good guy all along!" I say, crossing my arms. "I think Dennis is more like..." I pause, running through all the bad characters. It's a hard choice, there are so many bad characters to chose from. "Voldemort." I finally decide. Rick looks at me and then bursts out laughing. I grin at his reaction, life is always good when you have Rick on your side.

"Imagine if he had no nose..." He murmurs, and at that image in our heads we laugh uncontrollably again. We are having such a laugh that we don't hear the car park on the drive, or the front door slam. It's only when we heard a yell of 'Kitty!' that we are jolted back to reality, where Dennis has hair and a nose. "Kitty's back! See you later Kia!" Rick gasps, and then runs from the bench. He's gone, but I smile widely at myself, finally pleased about something.

**A/N: I finally updated! Thanks to TBR LOVER, you reminded me about this story, I had really bad writers block and kind of gave up :S Thankyou for the reviews, and keep them coming please :)**


	5. Realisation

**A/N: Sorry about the shortness of this chapter :S**

**Realisation**

When Aunt Vivian comes to visit, I'm practicing plies using the back of the sofa for support. Now I hadn't been in care as long as some people (like Imogen), but I sure knew that if family was going to visit, you got the choice whether you wanted them to come or not, and when. It was plainly not fair to let the kids suffer if their violent step Dad just turns up at one point, or if they have to sit through even just a five minute conversation with a Mum who doesn't actually give a shit whether you exist or not.

Vivian struts into the living room, a hand on her hip as she surveyed the mess. I didn't notice her at first, I'm too busy stretching but when Rick coughed loudly I looked up, my whole body going cold as I meet her eyes. You see Vivian was one of the most horrible people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting. I had to live with her from when I was four and my mum died, up until I was put into care at seven. Back when I had no voice and no say in anything. Well, I do now.

"What are you doing here?" I grumbled, and she gives me a snobby stare before lightly pushing Tyler off the couch and sitting in his place. After a whole minute she still didn't reply, and I was finding it hard to stay calm. She knew she was testing my patience, and she knew she had to wait only a little longer for me to lose it. "I never said you could come. You can't just turn up!" My voice grew louder as I spoke, and Tyler shared a look with Rick before taking little Joseph out of the living room.

"Can I not just come and see how you're coping?" Vivian asks, a thin eyebrow arched. Even Vivian's appearance annoyed me. Her skin was stretched across her cheeks tightly like a drum, with no hint of wrinkles. She wore too much blusher and her eyes were small and when she stared at you it was as if you were turning to stone. This time her blonde hair was tied in a complicated bun, and her eyes analyzed me scornfully. "You need to cut your hair Kia, it's far too long." My dark brown hair reached halfway down my midriff, and I was exceptionally proud of the length.

I stared her down, refusing to let her manipulate me. "I like it long." I snapped, before stalking out of the room.

When Rick found me, I had already torn half of the dying bush up. Ripped up leaves were scattered around me, as if a hurricane had passed through. "She says she's leaving soon." He told me quietly, sitting down and taking the leaves from my hands. I sigh, finally letting go of the tension that had been building up inside me, just waiting to blow up. "Don't let her get to you, she's not worth it Kia. You're better than her and you know that, so don't listen to her when she tries to put you down." He then said, pulling me in for a hug when he noticed my wet eyes.

I always tried my best not to cry. The kids in Burnywood could smell weakness from a mile. Only Joseph could get away with it really, and that was only because Charlotte was always there to beat up anyone who had anything to say about it. I rubbed at my cheeks, wiping away all evidence of tears, feeling stupid. There was no way I could let something as small as Vivian turning up get to me, Rick had been right. So I straightened myself up and we walked back to the house together, and I was determined to be brave.

"Finished with your little tantrum?" Vivian asked, as soon as I stepped into the living room. I fought hard to keep my mouth shut and walked straight past her, my eyes trained on the TV. "You need better discipline who wants a girl around who can't control herself?" She spat, gathering her things. "You're just like your mum, you are. Always have to get your way..."

I saw red. Leaping up from the sofa i stormed up to her, any intention of staying calm gone. "You just don't know when you're not wanted do you?" I found myself yelling, and Vivian looked taken back. "I never want to see you in this place ever again, and don't even think about mentioning Mum anymore."

"Sort yourself out, Kia." Vivian hissed, before turning and storming out of the room, not even notifying Dennis that she was leaving.

"Don't even come back!" I shouted after her, only realising that a crowd had gathered when I felt Rick's hand on my back as he guided me out of the room. Once again I found myself fighting back the tears as the comments that were being said reached my ears.

"She's mental."

"Is it too hard to just keep control of yourself?"

"C'mon guys don't be so harsh, you've all got shit family."

Even with Leo sticking up for me, I still didn't feel any better. I sat in Rick's bedroom for the rest of the afternoon, listening to him play his guitar, not really thinking about anything. They were right, I was mental. My life before care hadn't been half as bad as some of the others, so why did I get so angry? Jem had a shit life last year before he was chucked into care, and I've never seen him screaming when his Dad came to visit.

Rick put his guitar down and stared at me, his brown eyes boring into my back as I swung around on his desk chair. "Kia, you alright?"

I was silent for a while, watching as Charlotte left the house from the window. "I'm going to sort things out." I told him, and the expression on his face told me he thought I was mad. "I'm going to sort _everything_ out." I repeated, and I was determined to do this.

**A/N: Not so sure about this chapter but I haven't thought about this story for ages, I've got no ideas! Any reviews are appreciated :)**


	6. Trips are Trouble

**A/N: Hi guys, finally done another chapter! Hope you like it, and please leave a review! :)**

**Trips are Trouble**

"Kia I'm no therapist." Rick sighs, pulling off his headphones so they landed around his neck. Even from where I'm standing I can hear the sound of his music.

"Yeah, but you can help me! You helped Kitty right?" I reason, folding my arms. Rick is staring at me stubbornly, his feet propped up on his desk and an old record in his lap. He fiddles with the hem of his checked tshirt and finally gives me an answer.

"Kitty is different, you know that. You're not mad... just a bit..." He trails off and his expression changes from stubborn to sheepish.

"Just a bit what?" I hiss with mock anger, and lean against the door frame.

"Umm... over-dramatic." He mumbles, avoiding my gaze. He's not joking, but a smile is creeping up on his face when he realises that I'm offended. "Calm it Kia, don't prove my point." He smirks, and spins on his chair. "Go talk to Leo, he's always smiling. Well, most of the time."

I stick my tongue out at him and leave his room, heading in the direction of the lounge where I know Leo will be. Rick is right, Leo always does smile. He's Tyler's older brother and is always running away, though he gets caught every time. If I'm honest I think Leo running away is the reason Tyler got so mad, he even went as far as to nick a girl called Carmen's stuff. Tyler doesn't usually steal, only in desperate cases.  
>However before I reach the stairs, Dennis' bellowing voice caught my attention. He was calling all of the residents into the kitchen for a meeting. Burnywood meetings only meant trouble, punishment, or more trouble. Rick caught up with me and gives me a reassuring look as we step into the kitchen, apparently the last to arrive. Dennis glares at us, unimpressed.<p>

"Thankyou for making time to join us." He growls sarcastically, and waits until everyone has taken a seat around the wooden table before he begins. "The council have decided to fund a two day camping trip for this care home." He announces, and immediately the noise started. "Shut up!" He yells, folding his arms. "We'll be leaving tomorrow, so I suggest you pack your things_ now._ And I'm warning you, no funny business or there _will_ be severe punishments."

Half the kids in Burnywood have never been out of the area, let alone on a trip. I hear Joseph whispering excitedly to Charlotte, and Jem looks proper pleased. His brown eyes twinkle and he fights to hide the grin, though I'm pretty sure that soon enough most of us will be begging Dennis to cancel it.

Like I said, Burnywood meetings only meant trouble. And a trip can only mean trouble too... because trips mean a lot less control.

The last time this care home went on a trip was two years ago, when I was new. We were going to the seaside, but nobody had been excited. It had been a windy day in March, so none of us were keen to swim. We had piled onto the bus, grim expressions on every face. Being only eleven, Rick and I had been pushed to the front of the bus and had sat whispering to each other as the older kids behind us mucked around. They didn't intimidate Rick, even though he had only went into care just a few months before he turned eleven. I had been in care since i was seven, and although I could stand up for myself, they were still quite scary.

There had been a very little kid called Noah, he had brown hair which almost reached his shoulders, and an adorable face. He'd been sitting in the middle, staring out of the window in wonder, when Alfie had leaned over the seat and poured a whole bottle of water over him. Now Noah was cute, but although he was five he was not to be messed with. His eyes glowered with rage, and pulling off his seat belt, he leapt out of his seat and launched himself at Alfie, who was almost nine years older than him. Dennis had to stop the bus, and he was furious. We were all grounded, and the living room was now closed for an extra hour.

When we arrived, it was still pretty chilly. I had asked for cotton candy, but Dennis had refused, deciding that we all had to be punished. Noah had walked around in soaked clothes, and I had been pretty sure he would catch his death- Rick said I was worrying too much. Now the next disaster happened when we were taken to the beach. It was half sand and half pebbles, and the sea was grey and dull, and not to mention freezing. Before Charlotte (Joseph's protector) arrived, there had been a girl called Emmy. She was slightly overweight and had arm muscles that could put any body builder to shame. Now we all feared her, she'd crush you if you were even in her way. Well our opinion changed on that trip. Alfie, being the idiot he is, grabbed her round the waist and pulled her into the freezing sea, not taking no for an answer. (Rick and I suspected that they were secretly dating, which kept us in fits of laughter for days) Well what none of us knew was that Emmy was terrified of water. Her screams could be heard from a mile away, and she sprinted out and up to the road, crying hysterically. Alfie stared at her, gobsmacked, and the rest of us children pretended we had not seen that. Emmy was moved on afterwards, apparently it was her therapist's suggestion.

Now that wasn't all. The worst thing happened before we left, when we were eating fish and chips in this gross cafe. Rick and I had a bet to drown all our chips in vinegar and eat them all- I won. Noah was allergic to milk, we had all been told that. He was fine as long as he didn't digest it, and we all knew that. It happened when we had finished our tea and Dennis, deciding to be kind for once, said he'd buy us ice creams. Alfie, who had a bruised eye and scratches down his arms, had ordered the largest cone he could get.

We didn't see it coming, none of us did. The next thing we knew, Alfie had shoved the entire ice cream in Noah's face. The young boy staggered backwards, wiping it off, but it was everywhere. Dennis sprung into action, bellowing for tissues from the ice cream man, and yelling for Rick to find Noah's epi-pen. He wiped at the boys face, but the ice cream was everywhere, in his mouth, nose and gluing his eyes closed. A few younger kids laughed, not knowing what was happening. I knew. Aunt Vivian was allergic to nuts. Rick's hands were shaking as he pulled out the contents of Dennis' bag, shaking it and holding it upside down, emptying it until there was nothing. "It's not here!" He cried, and I could see Dennis start to sweat. Nothing was happening yet, but we knew that if we didn't find the epi-pen, the consequences later could be disastrous.

Dennis turned to Mel, the deputy head care-worker at Burnywood. She had the medical kit with her, and was standing shell-shocked. "Look in the bloody bag!" He bellowed, his eyes bulging. Mel gasped and unfroze, and tipped out the contents of the medical bag. It wasn't there.

Noah was crying now, little tears escaping from his eyes as he rubbed them from itchiness. None of us thought to call an ambulance when he began wheezing, his breath coming in short gasps. It was Dennis who did everything. "Rick, grab my mobile and call an ambulance." He ordered, and Rick fumbled for the phone and began calling, his eyes searching for a road sign. Noah had collapsed now, his hands grabbing at his swelling neck. Dennis was keeping calm, though by his reddening face I could see things were getting serious. He rolled Noah into the recovery position and ran his hand through his hair. I started crying, fat tears rolling down my cheeks as I realised there was nothing we could do but wait for an ambulance.

We got home late that night. Mel was fired the next day, and Dennis stayed over night with Noah at the nearest hospital- twenty minutes away from the beach. The next morning we sat at the breakfast table, nobody spoke. Alfie hadn't come down, and we knew he was horrified at what he had done.

That event was probably what turned Alfie fully sour. He acted like he didn't care but we knew he did. We avoided him for weeks, terrified he'd do something. Rick became withdrawn those few days, and the kids didn't play at all. That's why I know we'll be begging to cancel this trip, it can only mean disaster.

Dennis came home two days later, looking exhausted. Noah had survived, but only just. He wouldn't be coming back, that day was the last we ever saw him. However I found I had a new respect for Dennis. If it wasn't for his quick thinking, Noah would be dead. Then what would we do?


	7. Burnywood is Cursed

**Burnywood is Cursed**

The next morning is quiet, scarily quiet. This was the day we would leave for our camping trip. For the kids who had been in this care home for a while like me and Rick, it was a haunting reminder of what happened with Noah two years back. Shaking off the bad memories I grab my case and leave my room, making sure I'm one of the last to go down, because knowing some of the other kids they'd use this as a chance to get in our rooms and nick some stuff last 's already downstairs getting a piggy back from Leo, he's obviously excited. For a lot of us this was the only time we'd leave this town, except to move care homes.

Rick is sitting on his trolley case and waves at me sleepily as i climb down the stairs. I could tell that he is slightly nervous too, but I decide that it will all be okay as long as I stick with him. Rick is mature, unlike Tyler or Alfie. Speaking of Alfie, he is standing moodily in the corner, glaring at everyone who looks at him. Perhaps he's learnt his lesson, or perhaps not. He is Alfie after all.

"Right you lot, get in the van." Dennis grumbles, unlocking the front door and watching us all as we leave, the suspicion clear in his eyes. I don't blame him to be honest. As we pile our small cases into the back, I notice how two of them seem to be bulging as if they are carrying the contents of the whole house. Shaking my head I link it to Lizanne, who probably has brought her whole closet with her including her hair straighteners.

We settle for sitting in the middle, far enough away from the triplets who have 'dibs' on the back seats and don't stop talking, and far enough away from Dennis who would just give us hell. The only downside is Alfie is sitting opposite us with Charlotte, but the two don't say a word and just listen to music whilst texting.

"Hey Kia, Rick. You guys excited?" Jem turns around in his seat and grins at us like he's being fostered or something. Rick just raises an eyebrow and looks out of the window with a bored expression.

"Kind of!" I reply as enthusiastically as I can, although I still sound pretty depressed. Jem hasn't seemed to notice that the only excited person on this bus is Joseph, a six year old boy.

He grins at me again and turns back around, and I can't find it within myself to find his excitement annoying. Jem's usually a pleasant person and doesn't do anyone any wrong, plus he can get away with it... he's pretty cute.

"Looks like Jeremy's having fun." Rick says sourly, pulling his phone out of his pocket and flicking through the songs. We listen to music for most of the journey, just watching the world go by as we drive deeper into the countryside.

Vivian despises the countryside. She says it's a waste of space and should be used to make bigger and better towns and cities, whats the need of a bit of grass anyway? I once told her that the cows needed it and that we needed cows, and I got a nice slap for that. I wasn't deliberately being cheeky, I was only giving her what I thought was a good answer. Apparently not.

When we arrive at our campsite an overly friendly man jogs over to greet us, wearing a badge that tells us his name is Gary. There are six tents set up, two for the boys, two for the girls and one for each of the care workers. We don't even get a chance to decide which tent we want to be in as Dennis pulls out a list he's already created. "You've got to be careful who they are put with, they're all troublemakers." I hear him hiss to the guide as he divides us.

It looks like I'm stuck with the triplets and Kitty, who is not so bad. Dennis knows better than to split them up, and has chosen me to be the unlucky fourth resident of the tent. Isabella wanders over to me and pats me on the back. "Looks like you've got it good." She grins. Isabella's been here a year now with her brother Isaac, and is one of the few people I can stand. She's stuck with Charlotte, Lizanne and lucky for her, Imogen.

Whilst lunch is cooking on the barbecue Rick and I sit on the grass, him listening to his music and staring into the forest whilst I make a daisy chain. He's in a foul mood because he got the worst tent possible. Alfie, Brandon and Leo, who would not be pleased about being split up from his brother. He soon cheers up when he's given his hot dog, and promptly drowns it in ketchup. "Want some?" He offers, holding out his hand to take my hot dog. I shake my head fiercely, I know exactly what he's planning. "Too bad you're getting some!" he cries, lurching forwards suddenly and tackling me, stealing my hot dog before I'm even able to sit up. When he hands it back I have a hot dog that is heavy with ketchup.

"I'm planning my revenge, Squares." I tell him, poking him hard. He frowns at the nickname, glancing down at the checkered shirt he's wearing. If there's one thing I know about him is his weird obsession with checkered shirts.

Our first activity is simply just a walk through the land. We're told that we will be walking about 5k, which will take up the evening. Rick prepares himself with his headphones but Dennis has other plans, ordering that everyone leave their electronics in his tent. Nobody is happy about that.

It's quite warm, so I tie my brown hair up into a bun quickly, inspiring Imogen who quickly does the same. Her hair is a gorgeous copper colour which I am especially jealous of. "I've picked a name for the horse I want. What do you think of Prancer?" She chirps.

"Sounds lovely!" I tell her, smiling. It's great that she's kept her hopes up about owning a horse, even though she knows it will never happen whilst she's in care. We slow down to the back of the group where Rick is walking with Kitty, quietly pointing out different flowers and trees and views. I smile slightly, I know what he's doing. Kitty is different to other care kids in Burnywood. No one except Dennis, Lucy, Imogen and her social worker knows about her past, but I have a feeling Rick knows a little too. She hates being around people, and she can't stand being touched to the point where she's dangerous. Rick is trying to distract her from the fact that she is surrounded by people- loud people.

There is really not much to see however beautiful the countryside is. The hills roll on and on like a patchwork quilt and small forests dot the landscape. We pass fluffy sheep which one of the twins (Michelle) seems to be terrified of, she screeches loudly as one ventures too close to her.

Rick's attempts at keeping Kitty calm seem to have worked until now. When Michelle screams I see Kitty flinch, her whole body turning rigid. Imogen says how it was just 'stupid Michelle' and Rick takes her hand gently, and she relaxes a little. I kind of wish that I could be talking to Rick as we walk, but it doesn't matter. I suppose Kitty needs his attention more than I do.

The smell of lavender greets us as we walk through a purple haze, towards the woods. Silver trees are dotted around in front of me the canopy of leaves letting in only slithers of light. Just before we enter the woods I notice what I think is the top of a church. The hill steepens a little and as we walk up I can see I am right, and a little town comes into view maybe a mile or two away. It seems like only Leo and Tyler have noticed it as well, but they quickly turn away and keep walking.

Kitty is getting more and more distressed as we walk through the woods. She flinches at every little sound, the rustle of a bush or someone stepping on twigs. Dennis keeps a close eye on her, though I can tell this is no comfort to her. She wrenches her hand out of Ricks and crosses her arms tightly, her eyes flickering as she looks everywhere. She's ignoring Imogen as well now, instead moving her hands to her ears. Dennis has forgotten about her now and is talking to Gary the guide. I know this will not end well.

"Dennis!" I try, but he is too engrossed in his conversation about cow breeds. I fight of the laughter this time, because the situation is way too serious. I can't help but smile though. Up ahead Alfie is mucking about harmlessly it seems, until I hear the sound of a rock hitting a tree. It's ahead of us but the sound of conkers falling and hitting the ground is loud enough for Kitty to hear, and that along with the yells of the kids who find this amusing, it startles her. She stops where she is, her eyes tightly closed, her hands covering her ears. The group keeps walking, nobody has noticed that Kitty has snapped.

"Kitty it's alright. It's just conkers." Imogen says softly, but this has no effect on her. I watch, nerves building up. If she doesn't move we'll be left behind, but if we call out for the others it will scare her too much.

"Look at me Kitty, please. I promise we're safe!" Rick tries, but she shakes her head and a tear escapes, rolling slowly down her cheek. Rick sighs and shakes his head at me. "She's remembering everything." He whispers to me. Then he walks back to Kitty, his hands up as if he's debating whether to move her hands or not. "Kitty, we can go back to the campsite. We're not too far now! Then you can finish that cushion cover, how about that? The sooner we get back the sooner we can leave this place." He soothes, and she opens her eyes slowly. "Nobody is going to hurt you. I promise!" Rick hold out his hand towards her, and she stares at it uncertainly. Then she reaches out, but just as their fingers brush a bird lands on a branch, and Kitty gasps and pushes him away hard.

She quickly covers her mouth and stares wide-eyed at Rick, who's sitting on the ground, looking a little dazed. I help him up, but he hasn't given up on Kitty yet. That's one thing I admire about him. He never lets her down, however difficult she is. "I'm... I.. I'm sorry!" Kitty gasps, shocking us all. She barely ever talks, and when she does it's only to one person. Rick smiles fully and shakes his head, telling her that it doesn't matter. Kitty looks at us all, and then walks forwards, taking Rick's hand and continuing the trek.

When we return to the campsite we are exhausted. Everyone lounges about waiting for dinner, and Kitty is resting in the tent alone. I secretly dread the night, especially after how she acted today. If only Imogen was in my tent, then she'd be able to handle her. Dennis clearly hadn't put enough thought into the groupings.

"Looking forwards to tomorrow?" Rick asks jokingly, as we sit away from the other kids.

"No way." I tell him, laughing. "Burnywood trips are cursed, I am sure."

He laughs at this, nodding his head in agreement. We're silent for a while, watching as the sun sets, creating a pink and orange glow in the sky. The countryside can be peaceful, I'll tell you that.

"No Leo, we have to do it today!" Tyler's hushed voice floated over, disturbing our silence. He sounds agitated, and I can hear him as they pace behind the tents.

"That will give them more time catch us! We have to wait until tomorrow night so they aren't suspicious, alright?" Leo replies, and he does not sound his usual cheery self. Rick has heard them too, but he doesn't think much about it, and tells me instead that they're probably planning a prank. I tell myself he's probably right, but there's a niggling feeling deep down that I can't seem to ignore.

**A/N: Hi guys! I haven't updated this in ages :( But I have some ideas. Thankyou for reading, following, favouriting or reviewing!**


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